Lake Marion is the final lake we'll look at for June catfishing. As with the other lakes we've discussed, Lake Marion contains outstanding catfish angling in all sections of the lake. The lower end of the lake is a big, open-water environment where big boats are the rule. But the upper end of the lake has many out-of-the-way spots that are best reached by johnboat or other small craft. Almost anyone can find a perfect setting for his or her boat on this lake. Plus, not only is the fishing great throughout the lake, but some very good fishing can be had up the Congaree River, which flows into the very upper end of Lake Marion.

On the lower end of the lake, fishermen employ electronics a great deal to find fish. By June, the big blues and flatheads are being taken in the open-water sector of the lake. There are a number of professional guides that focus on catching the giant catfish this lake has become world famous for.

One technique they use requires patience, but is otherwise straightforward: Hunt the drops and channel edges until you mark fish on the graph, then anchor and fish that spot.

Another technique that has become popular in recent years, and that is very productive during June, is to drift-fish. Using herring as bait and rigging several rods to drift the baits behind the boat, an angler can cover plenty of territory.

With whole or fresh cut herring, you have a great opportunity to catch either big blues or flatheads, often both. While fishing with guide Don Drose on the lower end of the lake, I've seen first hand you can catch multiple fish -- both blues and flatheads -- over 20 pounds. The top end weight for either of these species in this lake is almost open-ended: This fishery supports some truly trophy catfish. In fact, because Lake Marion has plenty of tackle-busting fish, anglers should rig according to the size of the catfish that they hope to hook.

The upper end of the lake offers plenty of opportunity to hook big fish as well. However, you can get into more out-of-the-way places and catch many channel catfish using stink baits, small cut bait and worms as bait. It's not unusual to catch 30 to 50 channel catfish on an average day if you get in the right place.

Also, there are many public landings around the lake and most of these offer good catfishing from the shoreline during June, especially for channel catfish. The channels are scattered in the creeks and main lake, so odds of hooking into some decent sized fish is relatively good, even if you don't have access to a boat on Lake Marion.

In the Congaree River, you can fish using methods similar to those described on the Santee River. Look for the edges for the deep holes as you motor up or down the river.

The Congaree is an ideal place for smaller boats, but is also large enough, especially on the lower end, to handle larger boats. As always, when navigating any river, use common sense and caution.

Take advantage of the great catfishing opportunities on these lakes and rivers. There's some excellent fishing close to almost everyone and whether you are bank-fishing, fishing from a johnboat or have a big rig, there are great places to catch catfish in Carolina.